Demo 1125R.

[Phil]

Demo 1125R.
Got a goodish ride on our new demo 1125R Buell today, forty odd miles. Apart from the Ulysses I have not been too keen on the Buells. Not due to performance or handling, mostly I find them too cramped & uncomfortable for a six footer like myself.
First, at least for me it looks a lot better in person. A very sharp hi tech look, & it seemed to be very well finished. It is a good deal bigger than the other Buell "streetfighters' & I found it fairly comfortable.
At an idle it is louder than you may expect & has a very Ducati like sound: Exhaust crackle, & wonderful mechanical whirring & clutch rattling.
The instrument pod is compact with an analog tach & digital speedo. It has a load of fancy features & programs that I didn`t bother to learn. I did find that you have to look WAY down off the road to look at it, however I don`t know where else you could have put it.
As to performance......... I was sceptical, but it pulls like a fricking locomotive. It is SERIOUSLY fast, & will imho be able to compete with other sportbikes. At 100mph plus, just tuck your head down a little toward the mini fairing & it is super smooth.
The tranny is super smooth, speedy effortless no clutch shifts. The clutch, well........I found it grabby, & however I adjusted the lever engaged too far out. Maybe it will improve after wearing in a little.
Handling....Typical Buell.....Flawless.
Positives: Very fast, get the rpm`s up & it peels your eyelids back. Excellent tranny with effortless shifts.
Even without any adjustment to the suspension from when we got it I found the handling to be excellent.
The house brick sized front eight piston brake caliper & radial rotor could probably pull up a super tanker in short order, amazing.
Earlier Buells have been cramped & uncomfortable for me. I found the 1125R to be a good bit bigger, I was able to stretch out & was quite comfortable. It is definitely a sport bike though, & I wouldn`t want to ride it for more than a couple of hundred miles at a time.
Negatives: Compared with the front brake, the rear is at best average. The pedal is way inboard & to reach the postage stamp sized pedal pad you have to rotate your right foot inward more than I would like.
The shifter is the same. It doesn`t fall naturally next to the foot, you have to make a conscious effort to move your leg & foot before shifting.
A bike this fast needs more than an occasional glance down at the speedo. This bike need a full head movement down, let alone a glance. A little too much for me.
Overall though, I found it excellent. Hopefully a winner.

[Ming the Merciless]

Thanks for the 'hot off the presses' review, Phil. I really hope Buell are successful in future, because it is good if the market can stand alternatives to the usual Jap fodder.

But for me, Team Obsolete is the way to go, so I won't be splashing any cash on this sickle.

[Phil]

[harleyhog]

Stop teasing me!!!!

[Phil]

So..........We all think that we have our quiet little site here? Got a call from one of the Buell development guys today. Guess what? Wanted to know more about my input after seeing the earlier post. Said they had heard a lot of input about the brake & shifters & were working on the rear brake. He said that there was nothing to be done about the instruments, I suggested a heads up display on the windshield. They said they would work on that.............Yeah right. So......You never know.

[BaZa ®]

Originally Posted by Phil

So..........We all think that we have our quiet little site here? Got a call from one of the Buell development guys today. Guess what? Wanted to know more about my input after seeing the earlier post. Said they had heard a lot of input about the brake & shifters & were working on the rear brake. He said that there was nothing to be done about the instruments, I suggested a heads up display on the windshield. They said they would work on that.............Yeah right. So......You never know.

Welcome to the big wigs...LOL

Great report Phil thanks for sharing.

[kneetrembler]

Nice one. Would like one in my garage as a winter hack.

[Phil]

Originally Posted by harleyhog

Stop teasing me!!!!

Yuk yuk. And........Parked in front of the same lift that you `worked `at when you were here!

[danpie]

saw one at the nec show and think it is a seriousley good looking bike. its one of the few sports bikes that could tempt me back to the dark side!
dan

[harleyhog]

Originally Posted by Phil

Yuk yuk. And........Parked in front of the same lift that you `worked `at when you were here!

Too bloody right, if I could get my hands on a visa I'm on the next Jumbo!!!.